The present invention relates generally to medical diagnostic instruments and, more specifically, to the field of photoplethysmography and using a plethysmographic system to monitor secondary physiological processes based on a plethysmographic signal.
During many medical procedures, especially surgical procedures, it is desirable to monitor the functioning of a patient""s cardiopulmonary system (i.e., the heart and lungs) to determine a patient""s current condition. Various methods for measuring physiological functioning of the cardiopulmonary system exist. Lung functioning may be monitored through the frequency of a patient""s respiration using, for example, respiration sensors based on thermistors placed in the respiratory path in front of the mouth and/or nose or breathing belts applied around the chest and abdomen for mechanical pulmonary monitoring. Additionally, a patient""s heart may also be monitored during a given procedure. Again, numerous methods exist for monitoring a patient""s heart rate from manually checking with a stethoscope to the use of pressure transducers applied to the skin. A disadvantage of such cardiopulmonary measurement methods is that a measurable respiratory movement and/or heart rate is by no means a sign of effective cardiopulmonary operation. For example, in cases where there are obstructions in the respiratory pathway or uncoordinated, out of phase chest and abdominal respiration, a patient may be breathing and their heart may be beating, but oxygen is not being efficiently transferred to their bloodstream. Therefore, it is often desirable to monitor a patient""s blood oxygen saturation levels to assure that effective cardiopulmonary functioning is occurring.
Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels of a patient""s arterial blood may be monitored using a pulse oximeter, which typically measures the absorption of red and infra red light applied to a patient""s tissue by oxygenated hemoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin in the blood. Pulse oximeters commonly comprise a sensor that is releaseably attached to a patient""s appendage, such as a finger, ear lobe or nasal septum, for a given medical procedure. The sensor typically includes a detector and at least one red light source and one infrared light source that may be focused on or through a patient""s tissue. The detector detects the light that reflects from or passes through the patient""s tissue. This light detector, typically a photodetector, produces what is termed a xe2x80x9cplethysmographic signalxe2x80x9d indicative of the light attenuation caused by the absorption, reflection and/or diffusion due to the tissue on which the light is directed. This measured absorption data from the plethysmographic signal allows for the determination of the relative concentration of de-oxyhemoglobin (RHb) and oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) and, therefore, (SpO2) levels, since de-oxyhemoglobin absorbs more light than oxyhemoglobin in the red band and oxyhemoglobin absorbs more light than de-oxyhemoglobin in the infrared band, and since the absorption relationship of the two analytes in the red and infrared bands are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,934,277 and 5,842,979.
As may be appreciated, in order to accurately monitor a patient""s cardiopulmonary functioning, it is often necessary to use a combination of three separate monitors, a pulse oximeter, a respiratory monitor and a heart rate monitor.
A primary objective of the present invention is to use plethysmographic signals to monitor a secondary physiological process of the patient such as respiration or heart rate.
A related objective is to use optical signals to monitor a patient""s respiration rate.
A further related objective is using multi-channel optical signals transmitted through a patient""s tissue to monitor respiration rate.
Another objective is using plethysmographic signals obtained during a given time period to monitor both blood oxygenation and respiration rate.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a practical algorithm for monitoring variations in a blood analyte composition that are indicative of a patient""s respiration.
In accordance with the above objectives, the inventor has recognized that the signals produced by various monitoring devices for monitoring physiological processes of the human body typically include minor variations which are indicative of a secondary physiological processes. In particular, the inventor has recognized that plethysmographic signals contain two components of interest which each may contain minor variations indicative of secondary processes occurring in and/or affecting the cardiopulmonary system. The first component of interest is a low frequency or substantially invariant component in relation to the time increments considered for blood oxygen saturation calculations, sometimes termed the xe2x80x9cDC component,xe2x80x9d which generally corresponds to the attenuation related to the non-pulsatile volume of the perfused tissue and other matter that affects the transmitted plethysmographic signal. The second component sometimes termed the xe2x80x9cAC component,xe2x80x9d generally corresponds to the change in attenuation due to the pulsation of the blood. In general, the AC component represents a varying wave form which corresponds in frequency to that of the heartbeat. In contrast, the DC component is a more steady baseline component, since the effective volume of the tissue under investigation varies little or at a low frequency if the variations caused by the pulsation of the heart are excluded from consideration. However, the inventor has recognized that the DC component does vary over a low frequency and small amplitude and that this variation in the DC component is generally attributable to changes in the monitored tissue caused by spill-over effects of various physiological processes of the body including cardiopulmonary processes. Finally, the inventor has recognized that by determining what causes a particular variation in the DC component of the plethysmographic signal it may be possible to monitor a secondary physiological process such as respiration in addition to blood oxygen levels while using a pulse oximeter. Additionally, the inventor has realized the advantages of being able to supply additional physiological information regarding a patient""s health during a medical procedure while reducing the number of monitors attached to the patient.
One or more of the above objectives and additional advantages are indeed realized by the present invention where, in one aspect, an apparatus is disclosed to monitor at least one secondary physiological process through variations caused by that physiological process in at least a portion of an optical signal used to calculate a value related to blood oxygenation levels. The apparatus comprises one or more emitters for controllably emitting at least first and second wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation onto or through a portion of living tissue and a detector for detecting signals relative to the transmitted first and second wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation passing through or being reflected from the tissue. The detector is further operable to produce at least a first detector output signal indicative of the electromagnetic radiation passing through or reflected from the tissue. The apparatus also includes a processor which is operative to produce a first output value related to blood oxygen levels of the tissue through a mathematical computation using at least a portion of the detector signal corresponding to each wavelength of electromagnetic radiation applied to the tissue. Further, the processor is able to monitor this first output related to the tissue""s blood oxygen levels over a predetermined period to identify variations therein that are indicative of a secondary physiological process. Finally, the processor generates a second output signal indicative of the secondary physiological process.
As will be appreciated, numerous physiological processes of the human body are interrelated. In particular, the different physiological systems of the body are often interrelated such that a process in a first system may have a measurable spill-over effect on a second system. These systems may include, but are not limited to, the respiratory system, the circulatory system, the central nervous system, the vasomotor system, etc. For example, where a first physiological process is related to the cardiovascular system, such as blood pressure or pulse, it is common for there to be measurable spillover effects (e.g., changes in blood pressure) in this process caused by respiratory system processes such as inspiration and expiration. Thus, by measuring spillover effects caused by a second physiological process in a monitored first physiological process, a second physiological process may be simultaneously monitored.
With regard to the apparatus"" first emitter, a light emitting diode (LED) may be used to produce first and second wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, or a separate LED may be used for each separate wavelength of electromagnetic radiation to be transmitted to the patient""s tissue. For example, a first LED may be used to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum and a second LED may be used to emit electromagnetic radiation in the infrared range. However, it will be appreciated that the first and second wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation may both be in or outside of the visible spectrum so long as the wavelengths are of sufficiently different frequencies such that absorption rates of the tissue may be calculated.
The electromagnetic radiation applied to the tissue may pass through the tissue to which it is applied, be reflected back from the tissue, or in any suitable way interact with the tissue such that the tissue modulates the signals received by one or more detectors. These detectors will generally comprise one or more photodetectors which receive the electromagnetic radiation as an analog signal having both an AC and DC component. The photodetector is operative to produce an output signal indicative of this electromagnetic radiation for receipt by a processor. The output signal may be a single multiplexed signal or a separate signal for each wavelength of electromagnetic radiation applied to the tissue. Generally the detector signal will reflect the AC and DC components of the received analog signals. As will be appreciated, the LED(s) and the photodetector(s) may be incorporated into a single plethysmographic sensor which may, for example, be attachable to a patient""s appendage such as a finger, ear lobe, nasal septum, etc., or the sensor may attach to a body part such as a thigh, abdomen, etc. and emit light into the tissue and then detect a portion of the original signal reflected back by the tissue.
The processor of the inventive apparatus is operative to receive the output signal(s) from the detector and use this signal(s) to determine at least one value related to circulatory parameters. For example, by using a component of the detector signal, the processor may be configured to monitor a predetermined frequency range and determine a patient""s pulse rate though variations in the amplitude of the signal. In addition, by mathematically processing a first and second portion of the detector signal corresponding to a portion of each wavelength of electromagnetic radiation applied to the tissue, a blood oxygen saturation level (SpO2) may be determined using, for example, a look-up tables or appropriate algorithms. The processor may be further operative to monitor this first value for variations such as periodic increases or decreases which are caused by a secondary cardiopulmonary process. Furthermore, the processor may be operative to monitor these variations in a predetermined frequency range, which may help isolate a particular secondary physiological process. For example, for respiration where it can be expected that an adult patient will respire between 0 and 30 times per minute a frequency range of 0 to 0.5 hertz may be monitored whereas for a newborn that may respire 60 times or more per minute a frequency range of 0 to 1.5 hertz may be monitored. Alternatively, the processor may be configured such that it is able to isolate (e.g., filter) and individually use either the AC component or the DC component of the detector signal to perform the above said functions such that a particular physiological process may be better isolated.
In another aspect of the current invention, a method is provided to monitor at least one secondary physiological process through variations caused by that process in at least a portion of an optical signal used to calculate a value related to blood oxygenation levels. The method comprises the steps of applying electromagnetic radiation of one or more known wavelengths to a portion of tissue, detecting the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation relative to that portion of tissue, generating at least a first signal indicative of the detected radiation, processing this signal(s) such that at least a first value related to blood oxygen levels is produced, and monitoring this first value over a predetermined time to identify variations indicative of a secondary physiological process. Finally, the method includes generating an output signal indicative of the secondary physiological process.
The step of applying electromagnetic radiation may further comprise controllably alternating one or more light sources such that when a first light source is activated and applied to the tissue, a second light source is deactivated and has no effect on the tissue. Alternatively, the light sources may be applied to the tissue simultaneously such that a non-time division multiplexed signal will result at the detector. Additionally, the electromagnetic radiation may be applied to the tissue in one or more ways. For example, the electromagnetic radiation may be applied such that it travels through a portion of the tissue (e.g., through a fingertip, ear lobe, nasal septum, etc.) or the electromagnetic radiation may be applied such that a portion of it is reflected from the tissue. Accordingly, the step of detecting the electromagnetic radiation may comprise receiving a portion of the applied electromagnetic radiation after it passes through a portion of the tissue or receiving a portion of the applied electromagnetic radiation reflected from the tissue.
The step of processing may comprise using a portion of the detected signal(s) for producing a first value related to blood oxygen levels. In particular, the detected signal(s) may be filtered to isolate discrete portions of the signal. Once the signals are filtered, values may be monitored in each of the discrete signal portions such that a first blood oxygen related value may be determined. Once a first value is determined, it may be monitored for variations known to be associated with a secondary process such as a cardiopulmonary process. For example, in the case where the first value is a patient""s HbO2/Hb ratio, an increase in the ratio over a known time period may be indicative of respiration. As will be appreciated, if a variation caused by respiration is identified in the ratio an output may be generated indicative of respiration.
In another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for monitoring respiration using optical signals to identify changes caused by the respiration in values related to blood oxygen levels. The apparatus comprises an emitter for emitting first and second wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation to a portion of living tissue, a detector for detecting the first and second wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation as applied to the tissue and for producing a detector signal indicative thereof, and a processor. The processor is operative for filtering the detector signal such that individual portions of the detector signal may be isolated. The processor is configured to determine a value related to blood oxygen levels in the monitored tissue through mathematical computation using at least a first portion of each filtered signal. Once the blood oxygen related value is determined for the tissue, it may be intermittently, periodically or substantially continuously monitored to determine increases and decreases which are indicative of the patient""s respiration. Finally, upon determining changes in the blood value indicative of respiration, the processor may generate an output signal showing a patient""s respiration frequency.
The apparatus may contain a number of electromagnetic radiation emitting devices for emitting radiation to the portion of living tissue. Again, these may comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs) which may emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible light range and/or the near infrared range. The radiation emitted by these emitters will generally be detected by a photodetector capable of detecting radiation in the applied wavelengths and further capable of producing an output signal indicative of the electromagnetic radiation passing through or reflected from the tissue for each wavelength. The electromagnetic radiation passing through or reflecting from the tissue will generally comprise an AC and a DC component. Therefore, the signal produced by the detector will contain an AC and a DC component.
Once the detector produces the detector output signals, they may be received by the processor and its filtering module such that one or more portions of each signal may be isolated. For example, if the detection signals contain both an AC and DC component, the filtering module may be operable to remove and/or isolate either the AC or DC component. Additionally, the filter may comprise a band-pass filter which is capable of isolating portions of the detected signals according to frequency. As will be appreciated, the AC component is typically a higher frequency component than the DC component, therefore a high-pass filter may be used to remove the AC component from the detected signal.
The processor is further configured to determine blood analyte values related to the blood oxygen levels of the monitored tissue through a mathematical computation using at least a first portion of the first filtered signal and a first portion of the second filtered signal. For example, the processor may be configured such that it is able to determine values related to the Ratio of Ratios that is conventionally used in determining oxygen saturation levels. As will be appreciated, by using the filtered signals which may only contain a DC or AC component, the oxygen saturation level determined will be related only to that component. For example, the DC component of the detected electromagnetic signal represents the detected portion of the electromagnetic radiation as applied to the tissue as a whole where the AC portion represents the variation in volume in that portion of tissue due to variation in blood volume caused by the pulse. Therefore, by using the DC signal, the blood analyte values in the tissue independent of the pulsatile AC component may be determined.
Once the blood oxygen analyte related values are determined for the desired component (e.g., AC or DC) of the detected signals, this value may be monitored for increases and decreases indicative of respiration. For example, increases in blood oxygen levels over a predetermined frequency range may be correlated with known physiological effects caused by respiration. More particularly, increases in the ratio of oxygenated hemoglobin over deoxygenated hemoglobin over a frequency of 0 to 0.5 hertz may be caused due to inspiration (breathing in), which has the effect of lowering the amount of venous blood in the tissue and thus increases the ratio of arterial (oxygenated) blood to deoxygenated blood in the tissue.